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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8846 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8846
To improve tornado detection, forecasting, warning dissemination, and
community resilience, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 15, 2026
Mr. Bell introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve tornado detection, forecasting, warning dissemination, and
community resilience, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Tornado Preparedness Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Tornadoes and severe storms pose a persistent and
growing threat to communities across the United States,
particularly in high-risk regions such as the Midwest and
Southeast.
(2) In May 2025, a tornado in the St. Louis, Missouri
metropolitan region resulted in significant damage and exposed
critical failures in local emergency warning systems, including
failures in siren activation and delays in public notification.
(3) A subsequent public report on the May 2025 St. Louis
tornado identified breakdowns in emergency management
coordination, unclear lines of authority for alert activation,
and insufficient redundancy in warning systems.
(4) Recent tornado events across the United States have
resulted in loss of life, destruction of homes and
infrastructure, and long-term economic disruption.
(5) Advances in forecasting and detection technologies have
improved warning capabilities, but gaps remain in providing
timely, localized, and actionable alerts to the public.
(6) Many communities, including low-income and underserved
areas, lack adequate access to storm shelters, resilient
infrastructure, and reliable warning systems.
(7) Improving coordination between Federal, State, and
local agencies is critical to ensuring effective tornado
preparedness, warning dissemination, and response.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL TORNADO DETECTION AND WARNING IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
(a) In General.--The Administrator of NOAA, in coordination with
the Administrator of FEMA, shall establish a program to improve tornado
detection, forecasting, and warning capabilities.
(b) Program Elements.--The program established under subsection (a)
shall include--
(1) investment in next-generation radar, satellite, and
sensor technologies;
(2) development of advanced forecasting models, including
the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning;
(3) expansion of localized, impact-based warning systems;
(4) improvements to warning systems; and
(5) integration of Federal forecasting capabilities into
State and local emergency management systems.
SEC. 4. COMMUNITY TORNADO RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--The Administrator of FEMA shall establish a
program to award grants to State and local emergency management
agencies to support tornado preparedness and resilience in high-risk
areas.
(b) Eligible Uses.--Grants awarded under this section may be used
for--
(1) construction or retrofitting of community storm
shelters, including shelters located in schools, mobile home
communities, and other high-risk locations;
(2) installation or modernization of warning systems;
(3) deployment of backup power for warning systems;
(4) development of local emergency preparedness plans and
public education initiatives; and
(5) other projects determined appropriate by the
Administrator to enhance tornado resilience.
(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Administrator shall prioritize--
(1) communities with high tornado risk;
(2) underserved and low-income communities; and
(3) communities with limited access to existing warning
systems or shelters.
SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.
The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency shall coordinate with State, local, Tribal,
and territorial governments to improve tornado preparedness and
response, including by--
(1) data sharing and integration of forecasting systems;
(2) joint planning for emergency response; and
(3) support for public education and outreach campaigns.
SEC. 6. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--Upon implementation of this Act, the Administrator
of NOAA, in coordination with the Administrator of FEMA, shall submit
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on such
implementation.
(b) Contents.--The report required under subsection (a) shall
include a description of--
(1) any improvements in tornado detection and forecasting
capabilities;
(2) the status of upgrades to warning systems;
(3) grants awarded under section 4, and how such grants
have been used to support tornado preparedness and resilience;
(4) any remaining gaps in tornado preparedness and
resilience; and
(5) any recommendations for further legislative or
administrative action.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Transportation and
Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, and
Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committees on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, and Appropriations of the Senate.
(2) FEMA.--The term ``FEMA'' means the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
(3) High-risk area.--The term ``high-risk area'' means a
geographic area identified by the Administrator, in
coordination with NOAA, as having a high frequency or elevated
risk of tornado activity.
(4) NOAA.--The term ``NOAA'' means the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
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